He fell through, sir, at this very place. His leg was broken by the
fall, and he moaned very loudly. Charge of the tunnel and everything
that it may catch has from the first been held by the old woman; and
either she or Poll passes through it every day. The poor sportsman
was found by the old woman; and when she appeared he was astonished,
and besought her assistance. But her reply was made with that very
same iron poker with which she attempted your life to-day. Silent
Poll and The Lifter afterwards dragged the body to the pond. How my
heart ached as I heard the dog of the poor young fellow whine as it
went about the wood seeking for its master. The captain sent The
Lifter out to fetch the animal in, but the poor brute seemed to know
that harm was intended, and it went back further into the bush. All
the night it cried there; but at sunrise Murfrey crept out with a
long-barrelled gun and shot it.'

They had now reached the extremity of the tunnel, and Nancy
suggested that they should hasten back.

'Above all other things we must prevent them from surmising that
there is any friendship or understanding between us,' Nancy said,
'and the only way in which this can be done is by your pretending to
hold me in the same sort of cold contempt as you bestow upon Silent
Poll. You must impress them with the belief that you look upon me as
an abandoned woman and a murderess. My part shall be to show sympathy
with the old woman in to-day's offence, and to denounce you. I shall
speak of you to Murfrey, as well as to the woman, as a desperado. In
doing this I shall serve the double end of blinding their eyes, and
of making them fear your arm.' To this plan Roland cordially agreed,
and the two returned to the robber's lair.